Getting Through the Pain
by cotedepablo911
Summary: When Ziva's father is killed in a shooting, Ziva is asked to bring the NCIS to solve the murder. And Ziva's case brings Rule 38 into play.Israel is a sensitive case, but the evidence is starting to hit hard.
1. First Look

Hello Readers! This is my first story of my favorite subject! Tiva on NCIS! If you have any thoughts, just post! But please be nice! I'm new at this! :)

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"Ziva, what's wrong?" said Tony running over to her. But he got no answer, just more crying. It wasn't like Ziva to not respond to his calling (let alone cry about anything). "Ziva, what

happened?" Tony said again, sliding his arms around Ziva's waist. She was still sobbing when she managed, "My (*hiccup*) f-f-fath-father's dead, Tony."


	2. Chapter 1

Hello Readers! This is my first story of my favorite subject! Tiva on NCIS! If you have any thoughts, just post! But please be nice! I'm new at this! :)

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_Chapter 1_

"Ziva, what's wrong?" said Tony running over to her. But he got no answer, just more crying. It wasn't like Ziva to not respond to his calling (let alone cry about anything). "Ziva, what

happened?" Tony said again, sliding his arms around Ziva's waist. She was still sobbing when she managed, "My (*hiccup*) f-f-fath-father's dead, Tony." She kept crying, and Tony held

her tightly. There was a few minutes of silence, before Tony finally broke it. "Z, what happened?" he tried. When she didn't say anything, he tried again. "Ziva, what happened to Eli?" he

asked slowly. "There was a shooting be-(*hiccup*)-tween Mossad officers. My father tried (*hiccup*) to break it up. But he was hit in the (*hiccup*) fight." Ziva said between sobs. Tony

had history with Eli David (some of it not the best). But since she was his girlfriend and coworker, this _**REALLY**_ mattered to him. Tony kissed her cheeks, which broke a small smile from

her. "I'm sorry Ziva." he said sympathetically. She leaned into his chest, and Tony's grip tightened around her. Ziva was really happy that he was there with her, and she loved having

Tony there when she was in trouble. "Ziva, you gonna be okay today? Or are you call in sick?" asked Tony. Gibbs didn't know that they were dating, so they had some fresh news for a

cover. "No, Tony. Thank you." she replied. "Are you sure?" Tony pushed. A few seconds of silence passed before she said, "Yes. I am sure." She wiped her tears, and sniffled. Tony noticed

Ziva's jacket, which was a favorite of his. "You don't look very happy when you're tear-stained." he said gently. She stopped crying, letting Tony dry her tears and push back her bangs.

"You'll always be safe with me though, Ziva." said Tony comfortingly. Then he pulled her closer, and whispered in her ear. "Always, Ziva." Ziva knew where this was going, and she was

going to object. The couple kissed in a passionate embrace. After about one minute, she was dizzy and realized that she had to go. "Tony," Ziva gasped. "Gibbs' is wating for us." shenot

broke the the truth, immediately regretting it. But Tony wasn't done. "How about we blow off work today and spend the day at your apartment?" he suggested, still wanting more. "No

Tony. I told Gibbs that I'd be there to help with some case progress." she explained. "Need a ride? My car's here already." Tony offered. Ziva hesitated to even move, but she took Tony's

hand and he lead her to the car. They rode in silence to the Navy yard, but Tony held her hand in the car. "You'll be okay? At work" he asked one more again. She nodded in return, and

he gave her a soft squeeze on the hand as they walked inside.


	3. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

Ziva walked down the NCIS hallway. Tony was already at his desk, awaiting her arrival. She had been in the bathroom washing her face off. Now, it seemed as if she never broke the news to Tony.

"Feeling better?" asked Tony. She nodded and walked to her desk while waiting for Gibbs to come down from MTAC. Since McGee was gone, she figured that he was up there too. Her phone rang, and it was not who Ziva had expected.

"_Ziva David?" _the voice on the other side of the line said. It sounded Israeli, so she figured it was a condolence call. "Yes?" Ziva responded. _"This is Malachi Ben-Gidon, Ziva. I'm calling on behalf of Mossad." _ the Mossad agent said. Ziva was not expecting a call from Mossad of all places. "Hello. Malachi. Can I help you?" she said impatiently. _"Yes, Ziva, you can. I must speak with your Director as soon as possible." _said Malachi. "Okay, we will talk in MTAC. 25 minutes from now, we will be there. _"Thank you, Ziva. I will be waiting." _ he said before he hung up. Ziva put down the receiver, and saw Tony's curious look. "What does Mossad want?" he asked, unable to hold back. Ziva took a deep breath, then said, "To talk to Vance." She went upstairs to MTAC, and went inside.

Luckily, Gibbs and McGee were just finishing up. Gibbs saw Ziva, and asked, "Need something?" Ziva replied, "Director's office please." When McGee heard these words, his eyes widened and he looked at Tony. He gave McGee a look that said 'I'll explain later'. Gibbs and Ziva left the room, and walked down the hall.

"Agent Gibbs, Agent David." said Vance. "Mossad wants to speak with you." Ziva replied solidly. "May I ask why, David?" Vance questioned. "I'm guessing about my fa-." Ziva stopped in mid-sentence. She realized that no one had been told besides Tony. "Your father?" finished Vance. "What about Director David?" Gibbs was looking at Ziva waiting for her to finish her sentence. "Ziver?" Gibbs pushed. "What about Eli?" Ziva took a deep breath, and then sighed. "My father's death. It is probably what Mossad wants to speak to you about." Vance and Gibbs exchanged looks of calm, semi-surprise. "Ziva, what-?" Gibbs began. But Ziva cut him off. "Shooting, Mossad officers. My father was trying to stop the fight. Things did not turn out...well." She said calmly. "I'm sorry Ziver." Gibbs said with a soft look in his eyes. Ziva realized that she had not seen that look since Jenny's funeral. "We better be going. We don't need to be late to a video conference with an agency that has a dead director." Vance said in his regular way of authority.


	4. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

Director Vance, Ziva, and Gibbs walked into MTAC. Vance looked normal, Ziva looked anxious, and Gibbs had a stone cold look on his face.

"Connection to Israeli Mossad please, Tel Aviv, Israel." Vance ordered. In a few seconds, Malachi Ben-Gideon came onto the screen.

"Are you okay?" asked Gibbs.

Ziva nodded shakily. "Yes. I will be fine."

"Director Vance, it is good to see you again," said Officer Ben-Gideon.

"Shalom. It's good to see you too," the Director replied. He turned to Gibbs and Ziva, who stepped forward so they could be seen.

"Shalom, Agent Gibbs. Shalom, Ziva," he said again.

"Shalom Malachi. How is everything in Tel Aviv?" asked Ziva innocently.

"Not well since your father has died. But that was what we wished to speak to you about." Malachi answered.

"What do you mean by that?" Gibbs spoke up suddenly.

"We want you team on this case Agent Gibbs. There are four of you, yes?" the Mossad officer asked.

"Yes. There are four of us. But why would we go to Israel to solve a case that's not in our jurisdiction, and why would your agency want _our_ agency to solve your murder?" Gibbs questioned curtly.

"Two years after Ziva left to NCIS, Director David told me something important. If anything was to ever happen to him, he wanted Ziva to help solve the murder. I never thought that I would have to carry out those orders," Malachi said just as curtly but with solemnity.

Before Gibbs could retort, Vance cut in. "We will consider your request. But we have to consult our entire team, which is _more_ than you met in Israel."

When Ziva heard the NCIS Director bring up the subject of their trip to Israel, she tensed up. Gibbs did not fail to notice, and touched her shoulder gently to restore her confidence.

"Please make your decision quickly. We need this investigation quickly. And we would like to find Director David's killer as soon as possible," said Officer Gideon. "Would it be okay if I spoke to Ziva alone Director Vance?" he asked.

Ziva clenched her fists. She felt like punching someone, but her self control kicked in annoyingly. She looked at Vance with a reluctant nod.

"Yes. She's right here." Vance granted the wish, and motioned for Gibbs to follow him out of the room.

"You gonna be okay Ziver?" Gibbs asked with the same soft look as earlier. Ziva just nodded, and Gibbs walked out.


	5. Chapter 4

This chapter is only Ziva's conversation in MTAC. So it might be a little bit short. I'll try _really_ hard to make it longer!

_Chapter 4_

"Yes Malachi?" Ziva began.

"Will you be helping with this investigation? Can you help with your father's wishes?" asked Malachi immediately.

"You heard my director. We might, we might not. It all depends on what my coworkers decide. You must not forget, Malachi, why we were in Israel last time. It has not left a great impression on my friends." Ziva reminded him.

"Does it really matter what your coworkers think? These _are _your father's orders," the Mossad officer retorted.

Ziva was taken aback by his statement. Malachi was beginning to push her buttons, but she came back instantly. "Of course it matters what they think! They are not only my friends and my team, but they are my family!"

"They are not your family Ziva! Your family is gone! Your father, your mother, and Talia died here! And may I remind you that Agent Gibbs killed your brother?" Malachi shouted.

The tears were welling in the back of Ziva's eyes. It took willpower to think about her family, especially Ari and Tali. She decided to stop the yelling. "I will see if we can visit Tel Aviv for the case. _Not _because I am obeying wishes. But because I want to find my father's orders," she calmly said.

"Thank you Ziva. I look forward to solving this murder. For the sake of Mossad and your father. I imagine that you'll want to help reveal your father killer. Help to have closure in this situation maybe?"

Ziva just nodded lightly. After a few moment of silence, Ziva spoke again. "Malachi?"

"Yes Ziva?"

"Do not get your hopes up. I can promise nothing to you…Except for _one _thing."

"And what is that one thing Agent David?"

"That I will consider. And if I choose to go, I will try to convince my friends to support and join me in my decision." Ziva said solemnly.

"I will keep that in mind. Thank you Ziva."

"You are welcome Malachi. Good luck dealing with Mossad."

"Shalom, Ziva."

"Shalom, Malachi."

Ziva waved her hand across her neck, the signal to stop the feed. The next thing she saw was the colored stripes on the screen. Without another thought, she turned and walked out of MTAC.

**Hey everyone! Thanks for all the reviews and alerts that I'm getting! I really appreciate it, and the more you guys review, the faster I'll post! I'm really sorry that I wasn't posting for like...EVER! I was cramming my schedule, and I wasn't remembering to post! **

**BTW, my chapters are a little bit short. Keep a look out though! Here's why: If my sixth chapter is this short (or impossibly shorter) chances are pretty high that most chapter will be this short. But please keep reading! And don't forget! **

_**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**_


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews, alerts, etc. I'm getting emails literally every day! **

**DISCLAIMER: I want NCIS for Christmas! **

_Chapter 5_

Ziva walked down the steps from MTAC. She looked like she was back in Mossad, which was usually not a good sign. As she walked down the stairs, she noticed everyone on Team Gibbs in the room. The rest of the team looked up to see her.

"Good. Now we can start," said Director Vance as Ziva walked in. "We have a proposition. But we need your opinions on our decision."

"What kind of proposition?" Tony asked.

"We have a high-profile crime scene," Vance answered.

"Where? On a movie set?" McGee asked with a slight trace of sarcasm.

Ziva cut in suddenly. "No. Tel Aviv. Mossad wants NCIS to investigate my father's death."

The room fell silent suddenly. The tension struck the room and hung in the room. No one said anything for a few moments. But Ziva could tell what everyone was thinking. _What? _

"Why does Mossad want us on this case?" Tony asked, "I hate to bring this up, but the last time we went to Israel, we left a team member behind."

For the third time that day, Ziva tensed up. She clenched her fists, and her knuckles turned white. Tony noticed and touched her arm so she would relax.

"Agent David," Vance asked, "Do you know why Mossad wants us on this case?"

"Apparently, my father told Malachi that if anything ever happened, he wanted NCIS to investigate it."

"Well, why us? Why not someone from Israel?" asked Abby.

"I do not know. I never know with my father or Mossad anymore," said Ziva.

"Mossad wants our entire team on that case. Miss Sciuto, if you'd prefer, you may stay here with your lab. That is, _if _we decide to go?" said Vance.

"What do you think Ziva? Should we go?" asked Tony.

Ziva looked up from the floor. She looked at the faces around her. She took some time to think before she answered. "I really don't know yet."

The tension in the room lingered for a few more minutes.

"So? What should we do? I mean, I'm not leaving my lab. But I mean are we gonna take the case?" Abby asked.

"We need your whole team to help on this case, Gibbs. This is the biggest case that we've ever been faced with, and I will need a firm yes or no," Vance announced.

"We know that none of us can take on this case alone. Even Jethro can't do it by himself," Ducky stated.

"Ducky is right. This case is gonna take maximum effort from all of us, _if _we don't take the case," McGee agreed.

Vance looked at Gibbs waiting for an answer. After the look had bared down for about half a minute, he gave him an answer.

"Come on Leon, you know this is gonna be a hard decision. At least give us some time to think about it," Gibbs reasoned.

Vance stayed silent for quite awhile. Then a familiar look spread across his face. It was a look that Gibbs hated seeing, and Vance knew that he did. "You're right. I'll give you all the day to think about it," he said.

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**I reuploaded this chapter. Pirate-princess1 made me realize a mistake I made! (If you're reading this, THANK YOU!) It's a really small mistake, so you might not notice! It's at the very end of the chapter! If you can, you're _really _observant!**


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hi Readers! I hope you all had an awesome Thanksgiving! I knocked out like 4 chapters since I last posted, so you can find like a MILLION alerts from me in your emails! Hope you like them!**

**DISCLAIMER: Fingers crossed for Christmas!**

_Previously on _Getting Through the Pain_: "I'll give you all two days to think about it," Vance said._

_Chapter 6_

-11:00 am-

Ziva walked out of the elevator and into Abby's lab. She hadn't said much since Vance's meeting with the team.

Abby whirled around when she heard the elevator. "Hi Ziva! Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes, I am fine. But I came down here to ask you something," she said.

"You want to know if I think we should take the Israel case. I figured you'd show up to ask me," said Abby.

"Well do you want t go, or at least help from here?" Ziva asked.

"I don't know yet. It's only been an hour, Ziva."

"I know. I just want to know who does or doesn't want to," she explained.

"The more important question, Ziva, is if you want to go. It is _your _choice that matters the most," Abby pointed out.

"I guess so. Thank you Abby."

Abby gave Ziva a hug and said, "Your welcome, Z."

-11:15 am-

After Abby's lab, Ziva walked down to autopsy to visit Ducky and Palmer. As the doors slid open, Ducky turned. "Ah Ziva! What do I owe the pleasure?" he greeted.

"Nothing Ducky, thank you," she laughed, "I thought I'd visit you down here."

Jimmy walked in. "Hi Ziva!" he said as he smiled and waved.

Ziva waved back and turned back to Ducky. But before she could say anything, he cut her off. "You want to know if I want to take the Mossad case, don't you?"

Ziva looked surprised very briefly, and then she just looked sober. "Yes, I want to know. But am I that predictable?" she asked.

"I think it would be nice to have an international case. Something out of the ordinary. But then I think about _where_ this case is and how it's affected us."

Ziva nodded. "You do not have an answer do you?"

"I'm sorry to say, but I don't my dear. But the opinion that matters the most is yours. If you want to go to Israel," Ducky reasoned.

"Abby told me the same thing," Ziva said. She turned to look at Palmer. "What about you Jimmy? Do you have a choice yet?" she asked.

Palmer looked surprised that he was being asked. "You mean do I want to go?"

"Yes."

"Well, I really don't know. It kinda seems to affect everyone on the team. Israel, I mean. Plus, can't they kinda…_kill us_?" he asked nervously.

"I know. Trust me, I know," Ziva said as she giggled slightly.

"Doctor Mallard's right. We all want your opinion more than anyone else's Ziva," Palmer finished.

"It's is not just _my _opinion. I cannot solve a case all by myself. I need help from my family. And my family is here and NCIS," she said.

Ducky and Palmer smiled at that. "And your family will always be here for you Ziva," Ducky said.

She grinned. "Thank you Ducky," she said and left the room.


	8. Chapter 7

_Chapter 7_

McGee was at his desk, typing furiously, when Ziva walked into the bullpen. "Hey Ziva!"

"Hello McGee," she returned his greeting.

"How are you doing? Holding up okay?" McGee asked. Ziva was like his sister. He protected her as he would his blood sister, Sarah.

"I am fine…Have you made your decision? About going to Israel, I mean," she asked cautiously.

McGee thought about his answer before he said anything. "I'm not sure. Maybe. But if you go, then I'll definitely go with you."

"Do not go if you do not want to. It is your choice that matters, not mine," Ziva told him.

"Well Ziva, Israel and Mossad, they have affected our team a lot in these last few years. You know, after you came home. Even before you disappeared. Your father created quite a few problems. It's not easy for us to just go and help now. I know it's you, and it's what you father wanted. But it is still not easy," McGee explained.

Ziva nodded. "I know what you mean McGee. It's not easy to go to Israel for case that shouldn't even be ours."

"Do you want to go?" Tim asked her.

"Why does my choice matter so much to everyone? Everyone seems to ask me. It is not mine; it is all of yours that matter!" Ziva exclaimed. She noticed that her voice was beginning to rise.

"It's your father Ziva. Mossad wants you, and your choice carries the most weight," McGee said. It dawned on Ziva that what McGee was right. Her choice mattered the most because it was Mossad.

"I guess you are right. Thank you McGee."

"Anytime, Ziva." He smiled at her and watched her leave.

-12:15-

Ziva decided to pay Gibbs a visit while he was getting his coffee. Unfortunately, his weird, advanced sixth sense picked her up.

"C'mon out Ziver. You've been following me since I left the building," he called.

Ziva emerged from her spot behind the coffee cart. "Are my skills wearing off?" she asked defensively.

"Nope," he said and motioned for her to sit down.

Ziva nodded and took a sip of her coffee.

"You want to ask me about the case. If I think we should take it or leave it," he said as he watched the people go by.

Ziva looked surprised. "How did you know?" she asked, shell shocked.

"I only care about if you want to go, Ziver. It's your call, not mine, not Vance's, not Mossad's," he explained to her.

Ziva said nothing. She just looked at her coffee cup.

"Do you want to go, Ziva?" Gibbs asked.

She still didn't say anything. And time passed until she did say something. "I don't know, Gibbs. Should I go? Everyone says that they'll follow if I decide to follow through with this. But my opinion does no matter."

"Your opinion has a lot of power, Ziver. Take the time to think, listen to your heart. I told you this three years ago Ziva, and I'll tell you again. Don't question your judgment. Got it?" said Gibbs.

Ziva nodded, and then together, she and Gibbs walked back to the building.


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: I know that this is really short, because it was supposed to be part of Chapter 6! But I moved the Ducky part to Chapter 7, and this became it's own chapter! I hope you like it! It's a small, short Tiva scene (which was why it got its own chapter)! Enjoy!**_

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Chapter 8

Ziva saw Tony walk into the men's room. She wanted to know his opinion. As usual, she followed him.

Tony saw her open the door. He turned around. "You okay?" he asked.

"I am fine," she replied with no emotions showing besides soberness. After a few moments of silence, Ziva spoke again. "Do you want to take the Mossad case?" I do not blame you if you say no though."

I don't know Z. It doesn't seem right to solve a case that's not our jurisdiction," Tony explained.

"Tony, knowing you, that is _not _your reason. You have taken more than one case that was not NCIS'."

"Ziva, Israel and I don't mix Last time I went to Israel, I was being accused of murder. And we almost lost you. I don't _really _want to take the case. But if you want to, then I'll definitely go."

Ziva looked into Tony's eyes. Then she looked at the sink, and said, "I don't know if I can handle going."

"Ziva, you can handle anything. I've seen you," Tony said comfortingly.

Ziva smiled slightly. "Thank you for picking me up earlier. If you hadn't, I probably wouldn't have come in today."

"No problem." Tony tilted Ziva's chin up. "It's gonna be okay, Ziva. We'll get through the pain. We always do."

Ziva stared into Tony's bright green eyes. His eyes were always comforting to her. Even when she was in Somalia, she was slightly happy to see his eyes, even through all of the anger. The way they sparkled when he laughed, or looked deeper when he was being serious.

Tony stared into Ziva's deep brown eyes. He loved the ways that they were somber, but still sparked with life through it. If she was laughing and joking around, they would shine brightly. Tony knew that they were at work, but he couldn't help himself. He put his hand behind her ear, pulled her close, and kissed her lips. The kiss lasted for what seemed like hours, but was only a few seconds.

After they pulled apart, Ziva whispered in Tony's ear, "Thank you." Then she kissed him on the cheek, smiled sweetly, and left the bathroom.

Tony just smiled back, leaned back against the sink, and watched her leave.

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**Review! Review! Review!**


	10. Chapter 9

**I guess this makes up for my really short last chapter! Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: Christmas is approaching, and I want NCIS!**_

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_Chapter 9_

The day passed since Vance's team meeting with Gibbs' team. And Vance called everyone back into the squad room.

"So? What has your team decided on, Gibbs?" Vance asked expectantly.

Gibbs nodded towards Ziva, and she stepped forward. "We have decided that we will be going to Israel. Except for Abby, who will stay here in her lab, we will go to Israel to solve my father's murder."

Vance nodded. "Why don't I call SecNav and Mossad? Agent Gibbs, you can discuss what you will do on this case?"

After Vance left, Gibbs went up to Ziva. "What?" Ziva asked.

"Rule 38," he stated.

"Rule 38?" Ziva questioned.

"'Rule 38: Your case, your team,'" Tony explained. "Z, you're gonna be the lead investigator for this case."

Ziva looked at Gibbs astonished. "Why? I'm not nearly as experienced as you are, or even Tony and McGee."

"Yeah Ziva, but if you think about it, it was your former agency, your father, your place of expertise," Tony went on.

"True, but still. Are you sure?" she asked Gibbs.

Gibbs nodded slightly and gave a small smile.

Ziva grinned and said," Okay then." Just then, her phone rang. "Hello...Right away Director." She hung up and walked up the stairs once again.

"DiNozzo, did Ziva talk to you about the case? Ask your opinion?"

Tony nodded. "Yeah, why?"

Gibbs nodded slightly and muttered something under his breath that he couldn't hear.

McGee was talking to Ducky. "I can't believe we're going to Israel," he said.

"Are you nervous Timothy?" Ducky asked.

"Yeah. It's just the thought of going to Israel for a case," he explained.

Ducky patted him on the back. "So am I, Agent McGee. So am I."

-In Vance's office-

Ziva knocked on the door. "Come in," Vance called.

She walked in. "You wanted to see me?" she asked.

"Yes, I did. I just got off the phone with SecNav. He granted us permission for this case," he said.

"That is good thing, yes?" she asked again.

"Yes, it is. Agent David, what was your choice on this case?" he asked.

Ziva froze at the question dropped. And it had landed like a bomb. "Um…I did not really have an opinion."

"So you did not want to take this case?" he questioned.

"No, I did. I just had mixed feelings," she explained.

"Agent David, are you sure about this case?" the director asked one more time.

Ziva nodded, and then Vance sent her out.


	11. Chapter 10

**Like I promised, more Tiva scenes! Okay, if you're not a Tiva fan, and you're reading this, please forgive me! Thanks!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own _NCIS _or _Morning Glory_!**_

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__Chapter 10_

Gibbs had sent the team home that day to pack for their next day flight. Except for Abby (who was staying in her lab), everyone was packing for Israel. After she was packed up, Ziva got very nervous, so she decided to pay Tony a visit at his apartment.

Ziva knocked on Tony's door. It took him a few seconds to answer.

"Ziva!" Tony exclaimed, surprised to see her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Are you done packing?" she asked.

"Yeah, I just finished…What are you doing here?" he asked her.

"I know I should have called and it is last minute, but do you want to see a movie? It'll be my treat."

Tony didn't know what to say then, other than, "Sure." They decided to see _Morning Glory_. After Tony took Ziva back to his apartment, she felt better.

"Are you okay? I mean you look a little bit nervous," Tony said.

"Yes, I am fine. I'm just uneasy about going back to Israel. And Gibbs said that I was in charge of this case. What if I can't do it? What if I can't lead the team?" Ziva blurted out.

"Ziva!" Tony said to make her stop babbling. "It'll be okay. You can lead this case. You can handle anything, Z," he said to encourage her.

"Are you sure?" she asked uneasily.

Rather than answering than answering her question, Tony pulled Ziva close and kissed her lips passionately. He could feel all of the nervousness flow out of her in that kiss. When they finally released, Ziva looked a lot calmer. "

"You okay? Feeling better?" he asked.

Ziva just nodded. "Yes," she said quickly, then pulled Tony in for another kiss. After she broke away, Ziva went home to get some sleep. But both Tony and Ziva slept with smiles on their faces.

-The next morning-

The team met up and drove to Dulles Airport. Abby went with them to see them off. When they boarded, Tony got the seat next to Ziva, Gibbs sat with Ducky, and Vance sat next to Palmer and McGee.

Tony had noticed that Ziva looked anxious and worried. "Ziva?"

Ziva looked at him. She nodded but said nothing.

Tony took her hand in his. "It'll be okay."

A small smile came out of Ziva's face. She squeezed his hand, and the plane took off.

Tony squeezed back and smiled because he had made smile. As long as his girlfriend was happy, he was happy too. A question popped into Tony's head after that thought. _When will we tell everyone? Especially Gibbs?_


	12. Chapter 11

**Another short chapter I know, I'm trying extremely hard to make them longer! I write in a composition book then copy it down, so it looks a lot longer on that page! **

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing! But I wish with all my might!**_

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_Chapter 11_

After a 9-hour flight to Tel Aviv, the team had arrived. Gibbs had slept for quite awhile as usual, and so had Vance. Tony and Ziva held each other's hands for most of the flight. Palmer and McGee had gotten along pretty well.

Tony noticed that Ziva had been on edge again. Her knuckles were turning white, and her cheeks were turning red. He touched her shoulder to calm her down.

Ziva looked up at Tony with thanks.

After the long trek through customs, baggage claim, and more security, the team had found Standing Director Malachi Ben-Gideon waiting for them.

"Hello. It is good to see you all again, even if the circumstances are not so pleasant," he said to Team Gibbs. Then he turned to Ziva and Leon. "Shalom, Ziva. Director Vance. Thank you for making this decision. We appreciate it greatly."

"Pleasure's all mine Officer Gideon," Vance replied.

"Hello Malachi," Ziva said.

"Well, we should get going. It is best to use time wisely. Please, follow me," he said as he gestured them outside.

A car that looked like a limousine was waiting for them. Malachi and the team were silent for the entire ride. When they pulled up to Mossad's headquarters, McGee, Ducky, and Palmer noticed all of the guards. Ziva saw they're wide eyes and slightly gaping mouths, and could not help but giggle. After going through security, they were taken down to a basement.

"This is where the shooting took place. I will leave you to your work, he said.

"Wait! Were there any witnesses to the murder?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes. Many Mossad officers were there. Do they need to be here?" he asked, slightly confused.

"Couldn't hurt. Why don't you ask Agent David? It is _her _case after all," he said as he looked towards Ziva.

Until now, Ziva had completely forgotten about rule 38. Malachi looked at her with a look of wanting explanation. But instead of objecting, he left to get the officers.

Ziva decided to things 'Gibbs style,' as Tony would call it. "McGee, bag and tag; DiNozzo, shoot, Gibbs, take statements."

McGee and Tony got straight to work. But Ziva could see a smile of pride flicker across Gibbs' face right before he walked over to the officers.

Ziva thought to herself, _This is going to be interesting_.

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**Please review!**

**Preview for Chapter 12:**

_**She felt a tear slide down her cheek. Then, a few more fell. Somewhere along the way, she began to cry.**_


	13. Chapter 12

**I know this is another short. And I know I've been slow to update (on my record)! I'll be back soon! I promise to update this weekend!**_

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Chapter 12

After three hours at their crime scene, Ducky had gone down to Mossad's autopsy. Ziva had walked in about an hour later. Mossad had moved Director David's body, and placed him downstairs.

"Hello Agent David," Ducky said.

"Hello Ducky," she said quietly. She looked at her father's body on the metal slab. Tears were pushing at the back of her eyes, but she resisted granting their entrance.

Ducky could tell that she was resisting. "Ziva?"

"I am fine Ducky," she said sharply. She realized her tone. "I am sorry. I did not mean to snap at you."

"It's alright Ziva. Why don't I give you two a moment?" he said. Then he left the room.

Ziva looked down at her father. His eyed were closed, but she could almost feel him talking to her. She touched his hand, then his cheek, and then she touched his head. "I'm sorry Aba. Please forgive me." Ziva walls caved in. She felt a tear slide down her cheek. Then a few more, and somewhere along the way, she began to cry.

Ziva didn't hear the door open behind her, because Tony had walked in. He walked over to her, and stood there. H e wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close. Ziva melted into him.

"It's gonna be okay, Ziva. It's not your fault," he said trying to calm her down.

Ziva began murmuring something. It sounded like a song, but it was in Hebrew. Tony couldn't understand the words, so he just stood there. Ziva must have been a mind-reader because she said, "It is a lullaby. He used to sing it to me as a little girl. If I had a nightmare, or I began to cry."

"Can you translate it? Tell me what it says," he asked. Tony's voice was soft and sweet. Ziva loved that about him.

"It says, 'Be strong my little girl. It is nothing to cry over. Just forget it and think happy thoughts.'"

"How often did he sing that to you?" he asked.

Ziva looked up at him. "I'm not sure. I remember when my house was nearly bombed. There was a loud sound when I was asleep. I woke up and smelled smoke. I was only five years old, so I broke out in tears. My father came in to check on Talia and me," Ziva said as she reminisced.

"I'm sorry Ziva."

"It's okay Tony. It is not your fault." She looked up at his and smiled. "My main focus is finding my father's killer. My emotions will _not _be getting in the way," she said confidently.

"That's my ninja." Tony smiled at his little joke.

Ziva also smiled. She kissed his cheek, and walked out of the autopsy.

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	14. Chapter 13

**Sorry that I hadn't updated. I always had time, but I ways way to tired to write. Swim meets, homework, studying. Life is hectic! Anyways, here you go!**_

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Chapter 13

After Tony and Ziva's little encounter in autopsy, Tony decided to take a walk outside. He sat on a bench outside of a coffee shop. _Gibbs will be okay here. They have coffee, and he can still headslap me._ The fresh air helped him to think clearly, and he went over the situation in his head.

**-Tony's POV-**

**Okay, Ziva's father is dead. We're in Tel Aviv, Israel at Mossad's headquarters trying to find his killer. Ziva's definitely trying to cover up her feelings and she won't give in to anyone but me. We don't have any leads yet. How is it that almost three-fourths of the Mossad here saw the firefight, but nobody saw the kill shot? There were only two people in the gunfire, and we have nothing yet. Eli must have taught the officers to stick together, because they're not telling anything. He's the reason that we're here, **_**and **_**the reason that we have nothing.**

**Should we tell Gibbs about us? Because we've been dating for 11 months now. She wants to keep the secret, and so do I. Gibbs would kill us if he found out that we had broken Rule 12. Vance would probably move Ziva to a team somewhere else. Maybe we should give it more time before we say anything. **

Almost as soon as he thought this, Gibbs called him in. Tony made the walk back through the streets of Israel, and up to Mossad.

"Yeah Boss?" Tony asked.

"We got some bullet casings, and I got some results from Abby. Where's Ziva?" Gibbs asked his senior field agent.

"I don't know. I last saw her here. Thought you might know," Tony replied.

"Call her. I need her to get here fast."

As if on cue, Ziva walked in to the room. Gibbs and Tony turned to her. "Hello. Is something wrong?" she asked.

"No. Where have you been, Agent David?" Gibbs asked her.

"Oh, I went for a break. Did I miss something?" she responded.

"Abby got a hit on the prints; she's waiting for you on MTAC."

Ziva walked with Tony and Gibbs to see Abby. She popped up on screen with her back turned to the camera.

"What do you got, Abs?" Gibbs asked.

Abby was able to hear him over the music. She turned it down, and then turned to the camera. "Hi guys! I got a lot! The bullet casings that you sent me had one set of prints on them. And they match the bullets that were found in Eli David's heart and lung."

"Anything else important Abs?" Gibbs said impatiently.

Abby typed something quickly, and a picture came up. "His name is Avshalom Hassar. He became a Mossad officer the same day as Ziva did in 1997."

Ziva's face turned pale when she saw the photo. "Oh my goodness, Av," she muttered under her breath.

Tony looked at her with a question on his face. Gibbs turned to her, "Do you know him?" he asked.

"Yes, I did." Ziva was quiet and she looked at the floor.

Gibbs turned back to the screen and said to Abby, "We'll talk to you later Abby."

"Okay. I'll see you guys soon!" she said.

He cut off the connection, and then faced Ziva. "So you know him, Ziva?"

Ziva just nodded.

"Were you two close?" Tony asked.

She didn't say anything, and stared at the floor.

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**CLIFFHANGER! Aren't I sad? Anyways, I wanted to make this good. Read and review! And I'll post again in about 20 minutes- 1 hour! Thanks for all of the awesome reivews!**


	15. Chapter 14

_Chapter 14_

"Yes, I did." Ziva was quiet and she looked at the floor.

Gibbs turned back to the screen and said to Abby, "We'll talk to you later Abby."

"Okay. I'll see you guys soon!" she said.

He cut off the connection, and then faced Ziva. "So you know him, Ziva?"

Ziva just nodded.

"Were you two close?" Tony asked.

She didn't say anything, and stared at the floor.

"Ziver?" Gibbs asked.

The agent didn't say anything, but she looked up at Gibbs. He could see the sadness in her eyes. "Avshalom Hassar. He…" Ziva's said, but her voice trailed off.

Tony and Gibbs waited for an answer. "He what? What did he do Ziva?"

"Av… Av was my best friend. He was very close to me," she said on the brink of tears.

Tony looked up at Gibbs then back to Ziva.

"He was just a friend? And nothing more?" Gibbs asked.

Tony wanted to know more about Avshalom, but he decided to be patient.

As soon as she grasped herself, Ziva spoke again. "Yes. Av and I were best friends ever since we were five-year-olds. We went to school together and stayed close for years. Eventually, we both became part of Mossad."

"Does he know that you're an NCIS agent now?" Gibbs asked her.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I figured that he would. But I do know that he was angry when my father let me become a liaison between Mossad and NCIS. He did not want me to leave Mossad because he and I always worked together."

"Did he do anything about it?" Tony inquired. "Ever try to stop you from leaving?"

"No. I told him that I would be okay, and that if I came back to visit, I would go to see him. Av seemed to let it go when I promised it to him, and he was there when I got on the plane to come here," Ziva said.

"Are you sure he wouldn't become angry enough to try to get you back?" he asked again.

"No! Avshalom was not like that. I talked to him a few days after I got here and told him that I was okay. He seemed happy, and I stopped thinking about it."

"And you're sure Ziva?" Gibbs asked one more time.

"Yes. Av would never hurt my father just because he was not happy with where I was. He was actually with me in Cairo when I met Jenny."

"Okay Ziva."

"Can I interrogate him about my father's death? He may open up to me more than he will to you," Ziva requested.

"No. You're gonna be a last resort. DiNozzo's gonna go first. If he can't crack him, I will," Gibbs said.

"What if you can't? He is Mossad after all. They can withstand pretty much anything."

Gibbs looked at Ziva. Then he sighed heavily. "If it doesn't work, then I'll put you in there with him," he said reluctantly. "But you can't be social with him. See if you can soften him to say something about that night. That's it though."

Ziva had a small smile. "Thank you Gibbs," she said quietly.

"Uh-huh."

With that, Tony, Ziva, and Gibbs left the MTAC room. And Ziva left to find her old friend.


	16. Chapter 15

_Chapter 15 _

While Gibbs, Tony, and Ziva were talking to Abby; Vance was in Director David's old office with Malachi Ben-Gideon.

"Who is going to be the new director of Mossad?" Vance asked Malachi.

"I am, most likely. If Ziva was still one of us, then he would want her to be. But after she left, he asked me to be the director to succeed him," Malachi answered.

"Why you? Why not anyone else?"

"You think I am not capable of filling Eli David's spot? Is that it?" the Mossad officer asked Vance.

Leon could tell that Gideon was offended. But he didn't let that stop him. "No. I don't. But I do wonder why Eli would pick you as the new director."

"He said that I was the best. That I think things through, I am wise, and I am the most loyal," Malachi said arrogantly.

Right before Vance could respond, his phone rang. "Vance."

Gibbs was on the other end of the line. _"We've got an ID on the bullet that hit Eli David."_

"Who's was it?" Vance asked Gibbs.

"_Officer Avshalom Hassar. Part of the Ziva's unit, and she says that they were friends since childhood."_

"Are you going to question him?" Leon inquired.

"_Ziva's looking for him right now."_

"Speaking of which, how's she holding up?"

"_She's confused. Not that she'll ever admit that."_

"Make sure that's she okay. We need her on this case because she's the expert that's on _our _side," Vance stated firmly.

"_And if she can't handle it Leon?" _Gibbs asked.

"We both know that she's strong enough to deal with this…But if she isn't, then she won't have to help if she doesn't want to," he said.

Gibbs hung up, and Vance turned back to Malachi. "We know who fired Director David's killshot."

"Really? Who was it?" the soon-to-be director asked.

"An officer named Avshalom Hassar. Our forensic scientist found his fingerprints on the bullets," he explained.

"Officer Hassar? That is not too much of a surprise," Malachi said.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well Hassar was very upset when Ziva left on her liaison position. He did not want his best friend to leave Israel, and I thought that he had fallen in love with her," he told Vance.

"So he would have shot Eli after she has been there for five years? That sounds like a long time to hold a grudge against your director."

"After Ziva came back, Hassar was very happy, but when she got lost in Somalia, he was furious with Eli for sending her on such a dangerous mission less than one month after she was home. As soon as word got back that she was an American citizen and an NCIS agent, Avshalom was no longer going to stand it. He confronted Eli here about Ziva," Malachi explained.

"Then how did he get into the firefight?" Vance asked him.

"Witnesses say that he was arguing about Director David's judgment. He got so angry that he pulled out his weapon. But they did not see anything, just heard yelling."

"So this was a hate crime? Hassar killed David and injured an officer out of love for Ziva?" Director Vance asked. He was confused because he though Mossad officers aren't supposed to let their feelings influence their actions.

"Possibly. But we cannot be sure until we talk to him. I suggest that you let Agent Gibbs interrogate him. He may break he sees Ziva through the glass of interrogation," Malachi suggested to Vance.

"I'll run that by him."

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**Peview for next chapter:**

_**You kept her in your heart. You fell in love with her.**_


	17. Chapter 16

**Longest chapter yet! Enjoy!**_

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_Chapter 16_

Ziva found Avshalom on the way to her father's former office.

"Ziva? Is that really you?" Avshalom asked surprised to see her.

"Hello Av. It is nice to see you again. How have you been?" Ziva asked her old friend with a solemn look on her face.

"I've been well. I am happy to see you here solving your father's murder." Officer Hassar looked calm and like he had nothing wrong.

"Av, can you please come with me?" Ziva asked.

"What for Ziva? Is everything alright?" Hassar asked her, beginning to get nervous.

"Yes. Just…Why don't we go for a walk?" she offered him.

"Sure. We can catch up while we do that," he said. He slipped his hand in hers, and they walked.

Ziva led him toward the interrogation room subtly. When they arrived, she stopped abruptly.

"What is wrong?" Avshalom asked.

Tony came around the corner into the corridor. "We need to talk."

Hassar looked at Ziva in hurt and shock. "Ziva? What is this?"

Ziva just shook her head, and walked into observation. Gibbs and McGee were already there waiting for her. McGee looked at her with kind eyes. "Are you gonna be okay?" he asked.

She nodded to her friend and turned to watch.

_**-INTERROGATION-**_

"Sit down."

"What is the meaning of this?" Avshalom asked.

"About the murder of Eli David, and how your bullets were found in his torso. How much you were upset when Ziva left Mossad, temporarily, then permanently," Tony explained.

"What does my friendship with Ziva have to do with this?" he asked again.

"When Eli let her work with NCIS in Washington, you weren't a happy camper. You wanted Ziva all to yourself here in Israel. So you tried to convince her to stay here."

"So what if I did. She did not, and I did nothing about it. How can I be guilty of anything if Director David's took place five years later?"

"Well the problem is that Ziva came back. Her father sent her on a suicide mission, and you weren't okay with her dying as soon as she got back. NCIS found her and took her home, so she became an agent. _That's _where you lost control. You snapped, and you got into a fight with a Mossad officer," Tony said steadily.

"I will admit that Ziva and I were close. And that I was sad when she became an agent. But I would not kill her father just because he sent her there. She and I were close friends, and I care about her," Hassar said.

Tony knew this was going to be hard, and so did Gibbs. So he walked into the room and gave Tony the signal to leave.

"You wanted Ziva to be more than a friend to you. You have for a long time. I can bet that ever since you were teenagers, you wanted something more," Gibbs said, knowing that he was right.

"Ziva and I were only friends. Very close, but still only friends," he said. Avshalom was beginning to get angry.

"You were friends until she left on her liaison position. But you never forgot about her. You kept her in your heart. You fell in love with her." Gibbs knew that he was breaking the officer. So he decided to see if he could snap him.

Tony saw Gibbs nod to him, and he saw Ziva on the verge of tears. Then he turned on the light to make the glass like a window.

Hassar saw Ziva with the tears that had begun to stream down her cheeks. "Oh my goodness. Ziva," whispered Avshalom under his breath.

Gibbs walked over to his whisper in the officer's ear. "Are you in love with her?"

Hassar nodded his head. He said nothing, but the tears were beginning to well up in his eyes.

Gibbs whispered again. "Do you want to see her suffering like that?"

Hassar shook his head. His tears started to fall. He mouthed to her, "I'm sorry Ziva. I love you."

The light in observation turned off, and Ziva's face disappeared from view.

Gibbs went back to his side of the table. "Did you confront Eli about Ziva's suicide mission?"

Av nodded his head, and then he spoke. "I got into a fight with a Mossad officer about Director David's judgment. We got angrier and angrier. Eli David was there and he tried to make us stop. He got close to me to try to console me. But I pulled out my gun, and fired at his chest. Then I shot over his shoulder, and I wounded the other officer."

"You killed you director out of love for his daughter?" Gibbs asked.

"Love can make a man do crazy things. But revenge can make a man absolutely insane," Hassar said to Gibbs.

"I know."

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**Read and review! I'll probably update tonight!**


	18. Chapter 17

_Chapter 17_

The team had decided to hit the rack after the long day of investigating, since they had begun their work at 5 a.m. They returned to the guest's quarters, and went to sleep. At least all but two of them did.

Tony and Ziva were up and wandering around.

"Are you okay Z?" Tony asked Ziva. They hadn't had any alone time since the day before, but with all of the chaos, it had felt like weeks.

"I am fine," Ziva said. She was lying though, and Tony could tell.

"No, you're not. Are you gonna be okay? We have only one day left here," Tony said with a kind look in his eyes.

"Yes. I'm just confused a little bit."

"How are you confused? We found our killer, and he confessed. Case closed, and you probably won't be held back if you need to beat him to a pulp," Tony replied trying to put a smile on her face.

Ziva looked at the floor, and she bit her lip to keep from crying.

Tony saw her shoulders shaking and put his hands on them.

Ziva looked up, and said to him, "My best friend from my childhood killed my father." She began to tremble in Tony's hands.

"It's okay Ziva. It'll be okay," Tony said comfortingly.

She looked up at her boyfriend and smiled. Then she kissed him. Ziva could feel the stress and the solemnities of the day flow out of her in that kiss.

Tony pulled her close as he kissed her and tilted his head so that they could kiss better. When they pulled apart, their foreheads were pressed together. "Feeling better? Or are you still freaking out?" Tony asked playfully.

Ziva punched him in the arm, and she was wearing a giant smile on her face.

"Yeah, you're definitely okay if you can still punch me in the arm. But I know what would make you feel even better," Tony said.

Ziva raised one eyebrow as if to ask what it was.

Tony pulled her to him, and kissed her again. The kiss was gentler this time, and Ziva had melted into Tony's arms.

While all of this was taking place, they were unaware of what else was going on. And the fact the Gibbs had seen everything.

**-Gibbs' POV-**

**Will I please be dreaming this? I'll wake up in a few minutes to my alarm clock, and we'll wrapping up this case. It's already been two days; we'll finish and go home. I'm just **

**imagining this about my two agents. None of this is really happening, and they haven't broken Rule #12. Everything's gonna be fine. I can trust that Tony and Ziva are probably **

**asleep in their beds, and they'll wake up tomorrow exactly the same as they did today. They'll be bickering in their normal, annoying, headslap-worthy way. None of this is real.**

Gibbs returned to his room, and went to bed.

Tony and Ziva were totally unaware that he had been there to witness them in their own little world. While he was thinking to himself, they were whispering to each other.

"I don't mean to bring up another thought to haunt you Ziva. But I was thinking about this earlier," Tony said. He truly didn't want to stress her out anymore, but he couldn't help but grin.

"Yes Tony? What is that?" Ziva asked.

"Well, when should we tell Gibbs about us? It's gonna have to come out sooner or later?" Tony felt good to have that off of his chest.

"Not now. How about when we get back to DC? We can have the whole team together, and we'll tell them. Is that okay?" Ziva asked him.

"Sounds good to me. Now let's get to sleep before I get really crabby in the morning," Tony said. He kissed Ziva on the forehead and said, "Good night Sweetcheeks."

Ziva smiled and gave him a hug before she went to bed. Both of them fell asleep with smiles on their faces.

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	19. Chapter 18

**The fourth chapter today! Story should be done by the end of the week! Brace yourselves for a shock!**_

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_Chapter 18_

The NCIS team woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Gibbs had decided to let the night before go, but he would keep an eye out, just in case.

"Abby is on MTAC. She wants to say good morning, and has a little update for us," McGee informed them as they were eating lunch.

"Any other details McInfo? Or does she just want to say hi and babble about her findings?" Tony asked laughing.

Gibbs head-slapped him as he passed by Tony's seat. "Those findings may help us DiNozzo."

"Of course Boss. Abby is one of the ways we solve our cases that have to do with bombs and ballistics," said Tony, trying to recover from his slip-up.

Ziva giggled and McGee smiled at the slap. Tony shot them both a look, and they turned back to the food in front of them.

After breakfast, Gibbs, Tony, Ziva, McGee, and Vance went to see Abby.

"Morning guys! Well, it's actually already afternoon for you already, but you get what I mean!" she exclaimed with her morning bubbles.

"Hi Abs. What do you got?" Gibbs said with a slight smile.

"I got a hit on the second bullet. It wasn't just Officer Hassar's! And the person who owns the bullet is a shocker!" the forensic specialist explained.

"Abs? Who was it?" Gibbs asked when she was done babbling.

She typed in a few buttons, and a familiar photo came up. Ziva gasped, Tony and McGee's jaws dropped, and Gibbs and Vance's faces went rock solid. "Malachi Ben-Gideon. He's not one that I had expected to kill his own director."

"No! It's not possible! Malachi would never do anything like kill my father. He is too loyal to do something like that!" Ziva objected.

"Well his DNA is all over that bullet. Maybe he didn't mean to, but he shot Eli David in the back, and the bullet penetrated his lung. Technically, he helped Hassar kill him," Abby explained.

Vance looked at Gibbs and nodded. "Anything else Miss Sciuto?" asked.

"No. That's it Sir."

"Thanks Abs." Gibbs said.

"Be careful guys! I want you home safe, because pictures can't talk," Abby said.

Gibbs cut off the feed and turned to face Director Vance.

"I'll take him to interrogation," Vance said.

Gibbs just nodded. As soon as Leon left, he turned to face Ziva. "You're doing it."

"Gibbs? Are you sure?" Ziva asked, astonished and nervous.

"Oh yeah. I'm sure," he said. He kissed the top of Ziva's head and said, "You'll do fine in there."

She watched him leave the room as McGee followed behind him, just to leave Tony and Ziva. Tony took her hand into his to restore her confidence, but it didn't help her. She passed him, and left him standing there.

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**Okay, if you're not suprised, you are solid! That was something that I came up with on the spot! Please review!**


	20. Chapter 19

**Fifth chapter of the day! Aren't I awesome! I'm gonna be updating another one, so I'm probably gonna finish the story tonight!**_

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_Chapter 18_

Tony, Gibbs, and McGee were waiting for Ziva to enter the interrogation. Malachi was talking trying to talk to them through the glass.

"This is unfair! Why am I here? I have been helping you the entire time you have been here!" Malachi explained. He was yelling like a lunatic, and Tony was enjoying it. He never thought that it was possible for him to freak out like that.

Ziva opened the door. She had a solid look on her face, as she sat down. She turned to Gibbs and nodded to him. Although she couldn't see him, she knew that he was there.

"What am I doing here Ziva? What has happened?" Malachi asked.

"You killed my father," Ziva said curtly.

"No. I did not. You have proof that Officer Hassar did. I was not even in the gunfight," he said.

"I know. You saw that Hassar was pulling his weapon out. You were going to shoot him. But your shot was aimed at my father. So I will ask you, Malachi. Why did you pull the trigger if your shot was off?" Ziva asked firmly.

"I did not." Malachi was being firm, but Ziva knew him too well. She could tell that he was lying.

"You did not aim at Officer Hassar. You were aiming at my father. Your gun was not pointed at Hassar, you purposefully shot my father!" Ziva yelled.

"You cannot prove that."

She opened the folder and took out the bullet that Ducky had extracted. "This is not Hassar's bullet! This is yours! You shot my father in the back from up above so it would look like he had fired twice! I have evidence that you shot my father, your director!" she yelled again. Ziva was going into Gibbs' interrogation mode. "Why did you pull that trigger? What possessed you to shoot my father? He favored you! You were his top officer, was that too much pressure?"

Malachi just looked at Ziva. He said nothing.

Then it hit her. "You were not happy. Being number one on my father's roster was not enough, and you knew that he had wanted you to become director if he died. You could not wait, so you killed him yourself out of jealousy. Being looked up to as an officer did not cut it for you. You wanted to be at the top of the ladder, and you just couldn't wait for it could you? COULD YOU?" Ziva's voice had risen and she was right next to him.

"No. I could not. But I did not kill him. I would not," Malachi said. He was beginning to shake.

"Do not lie to me Malachi. We have run the tests. Did you even think that we would be too stupid to figure this out? Did you think that we wouldn't have the forensics to prove it? We are not idiots Malachi, we would have found out sooner or later!" Ziva yelled again. She felt like kicking him and not stopping until she could no longer take it.

"Your father was a great man Ziva. But he was getting old; he would have died soon anyways. We needed a young, new director. Not an old man who had not been on any missions in years," Malachi said.

"Well you will never be director anyways! You will be in prison, and you may be killed anyways. If you are low enough to kill the director, not one officer would ever want you to be the new one."

Malachi looked up at her. He stood up to his full height, which towered over Ziva. "Why are defending him Ziva? Do you not remember what your father has done to you? He trained you, and you never had a real childhood. He sent Michael Rivkin into bring you back to Mossad by toying with your feelings. He sent you on a suicide mission in Somalia. And he did not even seem too concerned at your disappearance. When you came back, he sent me to make you look guilty."

Ziva looked at the floor. Then she looked up again. "I know Malachi."

"Ziva, he mistreated you. Were you ever truly like a daughter? Did he take you places or play tea party with you?" Malachi asked her.

She shook her head. "No, he did not."

"He has been like your trainer your entire life Ziva. Not your father. A true father would not raise a killer just so she can work for him when she gets older," Malachi reasoned.

Ziva began to flashback in little bit and pieces. When she was ten, she got her first knife. Twelve, a gun and a holster that was black and purple. By the time she got to her thirteenth birthday, she had begun to cry.

Malachi said to her, "Mossad was better off without him Ziva. And deep inside, you know that."

Ziva just nodded and left the room. Gibbs was already waiting for her there. He pulled her into a hug and kissed her on the forehead. "It's okay Ziva. It's okay."

She then knew that Gibbs was her father. He would always be there for her when she needed him. McGee and Tony had walked in and brought him out in handcuffs.

When she had finally stopped crying, Gibbs looked at her.

"Thank you Gibbs."

"You're welcome Ziver."

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	21. Chapter 20

**End of the story! This is the final chapter! Warning, most of chapter is Tiva scene. I wanted the last chapter to be short and sweet!**_

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Chapter 20

After the flight home, Abby had greeted them with open arms, literally. "Hi guys! Welcome home! What happened? Was it hot?"

After everyone got their hug, they all gathered in the squad room to tell Abby how the trip had gone.

"So what happened to our two shooters?" Abby asked.

"Both are in prison. Both will take awhile to get out," Gibbs said with a smirk on his face.

"Good. So who's the new director?" she asked again.

"Well, Mossad is going to take a vote. There are already three people who want to become director," Ziva explained to Abby.

After Abby was done rapid-firing questions, Ziva and Tony looked at each other and nodded. Then they turned to Gibbs.

"Um Gibbs, conference room, now?" Ziva asked him.

Gibbs nodded and they walked over. Tony was following them, and the three agents entered the elevator.

"Boss, um Ziva and I have kinda-" Tony started before Ziva cut him off.

"Tony and I have been dating," she said quickly.

What happened next was a shock to them. "I know," Gibbs said.

Tony and Ziva exchanged looks. "You know?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, I know."

"But how did you find out?" Tony asked again.

"You two were kissing at Mossad's headquarters one night. Both of you were so busy playing lovers that you didn't even notice me slip by."

"I'm sorry Boss. But you can transfer either one of us. If you move Ziva, then I'm done." Tony meant what he said, and Gibbs knew it.

"Me too. If Tony leaves, then so do I," Ziva said.

Gibbs didn't say anything for a few minutes. Then all he said was, "Keep it out of the office. Nothing whatsoever here, got it?"

Tony and Ziva nodded.

Gibbs slapped both of their heads. "That's for breaking my rules."

Tony and Ziva grinned, and the doors opened.

_Fin._

* * *

**REVIEW!**

**I hoped everyone enjoyed this story! I updated it 6 times in about two and a half hours! Amazing right! But don't fear! I'll probably write another multi-chapter soon! Just watch for it! Thanks to everyone who reviewed and added me to story and author alerts! I'm writing a Christmas fic right now, so it will be out by Christmas day 2010, that I promise to you! Thanks again to all readers, if it weren't for you, this story wouldn't be so popular!**

**-cotedepablo911 **


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